The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-10-28

nothing could be done IN enforcing the
law, aud by persistent efforts have won
the confidence OF the people, and have
succeeded. There is scarcely saloon in
Kansas TO day. Ii may be said that there
Ia not an open saloon, In the manner that
saloons are kept open in other states, in
Kansas but that the-e are places where
liquor IS sold contrary TO law, there can
be no question. We have law that says
that men shall not steal horses they
shall not murder; they shall not commit
arson; yet horses are stolen, houses are
burden, and men and women are mar
dered. II is safe 10 say that the prohibit
tion law is enforce in Kansas as well as
any other law upon the siatute-book.
Inasmuch as you are about to vote up
on the subject OF prohibition in Oregon,
1t may not be out OF place for me to here
state some OF the evidences Of the benefits
of prohibition in Kansas; and before
stating what the facts are, i desire to pre-
face it by giving you the manner in which
/ have arrived at the conclusion that /
have. Until 7 came into this Office the
attorneys general h1d no jurisdiction over
the enforcement OF the prohibitory liquor
law. When the prohibitory law of 1881
was enacted, i was then county attorney
OF Osnge county, county inhabited
largely by miners, a great number OF
life mad been fixed before coming to this
country, and who absolutely believed the
prohibitory law was unjust and tyranical.
and that they were justified in swearing
falsely upon the stand in order TO protect
themselves from its operation i had
great difficulty III enforcing the law in
Usage county as county attorney, and felt
relieved when my term OF Office expired.
After having been elected 10 the Office j
now hold, the Legislature whether acting
upon their observation OF my experience
as prosecutor in Usage county, or not. /
am unable To Ray-put provision III the
law of 1895 making il the duty Of the at
torney general TO enforce the prohibitory
law in every county where the county
attorney failed, neglected or refused, OF
il from any cause the law had not been
enforced. That provision OF the law more
than doubled the duties OF this office and
brought down upon me a deluge OF
curses and praises that will long be re
membered / went at the yiolators OF
the law with ungloved hands. and at The
close Of the year 1885 to see what the re-
suits had been / addressed a communica-
ton to each of the county attorneys,
clerks of the court, and probate judges.
with the view Of ascertaining the number
of saloons then in the counties and the
eral result of the years work. L found
that the saloons had been decreased 33
per cent and that there was general
good result reported. The legislature OF
1856, at my suggestion, made new amend
ments TO the prohibitory law. At the
close OF the year 1886, / again made a
summary of the results OF the enforce
ment OF the Law, aud found an increased
benefit: but also found that there was an
imperfection in the prohibitory law OF
1885, which permitted the drug stores to
sell liquors simply upon the statement
of the individual who desired the liquor,
that il was necessary for medicinal, scien-
tific or mechanical purposes. / suggested
to the legislature the propriety or amend
ing the law restricting the sale by the
druggists OF the state, and requiring per
sons applying therefor to accompany
their application for the liquor for the
excepted purposes with an affidavit. Civ
ing the disease for which ii was necessa-
~, OF the mechanical or scientific purpose
for which il was desired. the name of the
atient, il required for medicine, ard that
the person applying. sign his own name
to the application. 1 also suggested that
there be restriction or penalty placed
upon the sale OF liquor by the druggists
for any other purpose except that for
whish intoxicating liquors could be ben
eficially used as medicine. This had
the tendency toimmediately decrease the
sale of intoxicating liquors in Kansas.
Since this law went into effect. / have
caused another series of questions to be
answered by the various county officials.
also by officers OF the penitentiary, with
view of ascertaining the effect of prohi-
bition upon crime. pauperism and lnsan-
ity. / am now armed with series of
H-N-n H.. -
effect of prohibition on crime. the other
tables not being yet completed. / have
taken the same number of years prior to
prohibition that prohibition has been in
effect in Kansas, with a view of compar-
ing the percentage of crime TO the popu-
lation before prohibition that we have
had since prohibition has been in effect.
These tables show the convictions in
every county in the state for the several
years from 1874 10 1887, inclusive, and
for what crimes they were convicted and
sent to the penitentiary. We find that
in the year 1880. the last year of the
dram shop act, there were 291 convic-
tions for feionies in the state of Kansas,
with a population of little less than
100000 people. Although the popula-
ton of Kansas was continually increasing
year by year, we did not reach the maxi
mum Of 291 until in the year 1885. at
which time we had population OF ,425,
600 people, showing decrease in crime
since prohibition or more than . per
cent Take the crimes that would be
the natural outgrowth of breils, saloon
rows and other crimes incident To the
Incorporate use Of Intoxicating liquors,
and the decrease is even greater than p
per cent There is one thing that must
be taken into consideration in figuring
this result that would be against the
favorable showing on the subject of pro-
hibition, and that is that in 1880 there
was no city in the state with a greater
population than about 10000. and per-
haps not more than three or four cities in
the state with population greater than
10000; while now we have four or five
cities in the state with a population OF
10000, reaching as high as 10000, and
more than twenty cities in the state with
populations ranging about 10000; and il
is safe to say that densely populated dis
| tricts, such as cities and towns, has ter
dency TO increase crime. expect in the
near future to have a complete compila-
ton OF these figures and statistical tables
on the subject of the effect of prohibition
on crimes, pauperism and insanity, and
when completed will take pleasure in
sending you copy. / am satisfied that
the showing of the effect of prohibition
upon insanity will be more favorable thar
that upon the effect upon crime. So fan
as pauperism is concerned, it is safe to
say that the effect is wonderful. In com
munitits where saloons were prevalent
| the disgusting scenes OF beggary anC
want, of dilapidated sidewalks, unhingeo
doors and broken glass, have almost dis
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